The Interim Committee on Government Bidding and Contracting may also be used to recommend new legislation for next year’s regular session. State Representative Sue Allen (R, Town and Country) will chair the committee. She says last year’s controversy surrounding former Medicaid contractor SynCare LLC played a part in the committee’s creation.

Updated 4:25 p.m. with comments from Mo. House Budget Chairman Ryan Silvey (R, Kansas City), who also oversees an interim committee looking into complaints against SynCare.

The State of Missouri is taking over the duties of SynCare, an Indianapolis-based company which won a contract in February worth as much as $5.5 million a year to determine whether thousands of Missouri Medicaid recipients qualify for home-based medical services or help with daily chores.